Other cereals and
Nutraceuticals
CASSAVA, TAPIOCA
Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of Pisa
Alessio Mastromarino
Cassava (Manihot Esculenta)
Cassava (Manihot esculenta), also known as manioc or
yuca, belongs to the order Malpighiales and family
Euphorbiaceae..
Cassava is a staple food for > 800 million people in South
America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. It ranks fourth as
a source of energy for humans (Alves 2001), especially in
Africa (Groll et al., 2001).
In addition to its dietary value (gluten free) when consumed by
humans in the form of boiled roots, cassava starch tubers are
one of the main sources of carbohydrates in animal feed and
are also used to produce starch and biofuels (FAO 2009).
Cassava was the first alternative to cereals, which are more
expensive and have a highly variable price (FAO 2009). [1]
Cassava is to African farmers what rice is to Asian farmers,
or potatoes and wheat are to European farmers
(Montagnac et al., 2009). Cassava is consumed daily in
various forms such as asari, fufu, tapioca (Okechukwu and
Okoye 2010) and gari, which is a lactic acid fermented
product made from cassava root that can be processed
with carotenoid-rich palm oil (“yellow gar”) or without palm
oil. [2]
Therapeutic effects and research
(Nutrients 2011) Antioxidant and Antiradical Activities of Manihot esculenta Crantz
(Euphorbiaceae) Leaves and Other Selected Tropical Green Vegetables Investigated
on Lipoperoxidation and Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) Activated Monocytes
In traditional medicine, cassava plays a role in preventing oxidative stress and
ROS-related diseases among sub-Saharan populations
This study investigated the ability of aqueous extracts prepared from these
plants to inhibit the peroxidation of a linoleic acid emulsion. The ability of the
extracts to reduce the cellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS)
under “inflammation-like” conditions was studied using fluorescence techniques
in a cellular model of human monocytes (HL-60 cells) activated by phorbol
ester. Overall, the extracts show effective concentration-dependent inhibitory
effects. Liquid chromatography analysis clearly identified the presence of
certain polyphenolic compounds, which at least partially explains the inhibitions
observed in our models. [3]
(Int J Cancer 2002)Antibody-guided enzyme therapy of cancer producing cyanide
results in necrosis of targeted cells.
We describe progress in the development of a system based on a beta-
glucosidase enzyme, linamarase, in combination with a natural “prodrug”,
linamarin, which releases the cytotoxic cyanide. A recombinant fusion protein
was produced, consisting of an scFv (MFE-23) reactive against
carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cassava-derived linamarase, and its
cytotoxic potential was studied.
The enzymatic catalysis of the substrate generates cyanide, a metabolic poison
that suffocates cells and leads to necrotic cell death
Complete elimination of tumour cells has been demonstrated at prodrug doses
that are completely non-toxic to non-target cells. [4]
Preparation, Toxicity, Associated
Disorders
Toxicity may result from poor processing of “bitter”
cassava, which is rich in cyanogenic glucosides.
Cyanide consumption and its accumulation in the human
body normally lead to neurological disorders (konzo) and
goitre (Ojo and Akande 2013). Chijioke et al. (2010) reported
that the traditional method of gari production requires
cassava to be fermented for 72 hours, during which
cyanogenic glycosides (linamarin and lotaustralin)[6] are
hydrolysed by the enzyme linamase to produce hydrocyanic
acid. Finally, roasting the gari makes it safe for consumption.
[2]
Konzo, an irreversible neuromotor disorder in children. It
impairs cognitive function, even in those who do not
show physical symptoms of the disease. But shortcuts in
preparation that are often taken in times of war and
famine can cause outbreaks of konzo, which causes
abnormalities in gait and movement. (Konzo means
“tired legs” in the Yaka language).[7],[8]
Tapioca
Tapioca is a starch-rich flour extracted from
cassava tubers.
It comes in the form of “tapioca pearls” (starch).
Almost insoluble in water at 20 °C, but after heating to
70 °C, it dissolves in water to an extent of 14.36%. [9]
It is mainly used as a thickener for creams and sauces.
It has a minimal percentage of protein, fibre and fat
and is gluten-free
The potential of the crop is vast because it offers
the cheapest source of food calories and the
highest yield per unit of area. It also has multiple
roles as a reserve for famine, livestock feed and
industrial raw materials (biogas plants) [11]
Therapeutic effects
and research
Sensory analysis of gari and tapioca revealed products that were
highly appreciated (taste, colour and texture) by consumers in a
study sample.[11]
Ideal for weaning infants and feeding the elderly, as well as those
with coeliac disease, and suitable for gastrointestinal disorders[10]
Some studies indicate that tapioca starches, both native and
modified, could be useful substrates for the growth of intestinal
populations of Bifidobacterium. [12]
Bugging inflammation: role of the gut microbiota (Nature, Clinical &
Translational Immunology,2016)
In animal studies, prebiotics alter the gut microbiota and have anti-
inflammatory effects. Soluble dextrin from different sources (corn or
tapioca) differentially alters the gut microbiota, thus it is safe to assume
the complexity of prebiotic fermentation and the effects of prebiotics on
the gut microbiota colonies.
This further supports the association between consumption of a Western
diet and increase in risk for the later development of inflammatory
diseases. It also suggests the importance in timing of prebiotic treatments,
and that such therapies are more effective during remission and inactive
inflammatory responses. [13]
